Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-08-26


beauty to any in the United States, has
been discovered near Ashland, Wis.
No LITTLE curiosity has been manifest
ed regarding the attitude which the Unit
ed Labor party in New York would take
towards the Socialists. The question was
brought before the convention at Syra-
cuse upon a contest over the admission
of certain delegates from New York city.
The committee on credentials reported
in favor of unseating the Socialist mem
bers, and its report was adopted by the
convention. The speeches OF the lead
ing members of the majority showed the
existence of q strong feeling against
Socialism. Evidently the leaders of the
Labor party felt that the recognition of
the Socialists US members would be fatai
to all chances of success for their own
organization.
The secretary of the navy has within
the week awarded the contracts for con-
structing five new naval vessels for which
bids were opened recently. The condi-
tions imposed upon contractors By the
secretary are somewhat strict, but the
past experience of the navy department
would seem to Justify this strictness. He
has required the contractors to guarantee
definite results, and results fixed at what
he himself acknowledges to very high
~ hs.
has nearly doubled the previous require
ments of the department, requiring
about ten horse power to each ton of
machinery. For two of the cruisers the
contractors are required to guarantee
speed of nineteen knots per hour,
with penalties for failure to reach this
limit, and premiums for exceeding it
Tho department has not confined CON
tractors to any one form of bidding. 1t
has submitted its own plans to cOmpeti
tion, but has permitted the suggestion of
alternative plans by the contractors, so
as TO secure the best results under what
eyor plan. The secretary is evidently IN
earnest IN his expressed desire to provide
II navy which will not be roproach to
the country, and the methods adopted, if
pcrsovcre IN, will doubtless, with the sup
port of congress, lead to that result.
ENhausting The Soil
st the annual meeting of the Ameri
can Association for the Advancement of |
Science in New York, Vice President Ii. |
T.. Alv0rd delivered an address on Econ /
omy ia the Manag cement of the Soil"
of the West as we'll M of all other sec
tions Of tho country.
Pointing out the important places
which agriculture fills in the nation, Mr..
AIvord said that for twenty years agricul-
tur@l products have constituted three
quarters of all the exports from the
United Status. This excess of soil pro
ducts will no doubt continue for years
to come, but the soil is being gradually
exhausted, Every crop removed from
tho land diminishes its store of plant
ioDu ana ilH productive power. NlITO-
gon, potash and phosphoric acid, the
throo chief constituents of plants, are
being rapidly exhausted. "By the waste
ful proccssosI prevailing" says Mr..
Alyord, I'VE are oxPending our very sub
stance aud daily adding to II burden
under which generations to come will
staggor"
Fortunately, Sroie attention has been
given of late TO agricultural studies, and
through the press and other agencies
tho farmers of the country are being
mnde better acquainted with the ch ennis
try of the soil and of vegetable life ami
wiser methods of farm management are
coming into vogue. Doubtless it is pos
sible to cultivate the same land for many
generations without exhausting or even
lmpRirng its productive capacity, by the
proper attention to fertilizers, rotation
Of crops, otc., and American farmers
should and i'll time will learn how to &C
complish this.